[Billium28]

In 2 weeks I will be traveling to St Lucia for my honeymoon. Since it will be the first time i have been to Caribbean I want to go down there prepared.

I own the 18-55 kit lens, and Sigma 50mm f2.8. I love my Sigma but I am thinking I would like either a nice zoom or a better wide angle to supplement it. I am not unhappy with my kit lens but I have rented lenses in the past and I have witnessed what top of the line lenses look like. For this trip I want a great lens.

I am a big fan of Cameralensrentals.com. I have rented with them in the past and would like to for this. I am currently stuck between a few choices.

I have a K-x and I will probably do some night/sunset/ but mostly outdoors during day.

I would assume a nice wide angle would be great when traveling to capture the many areas we will be traveling on foot. I am looking at these three:
16-50 2.8 - this I know is a great lens but is it worth $100 if it matches most of my kit lens range?

Or this guy: A 21mm 3.2 from Pentax I like the small form factor.
Or: 35mm Limited

If I were to go telephoto Id want more or less an all in one range because I dont want to always be carrying a wide and a zoom. If I had one lens to carry itd be the wide angle. Unless they were combined more or less like this one:
18-250mm - This though is a kit lens correct? Is it worth my trouble?

Thanks I tried looking for other posts like this but nothing really related. Atleast not with the same lenses.

[usmcxm35]

Congratulations! <~ on getting married, not for posting...
I would stray from the 16-50, as I think there isn't as much of difference from the kit lens as you would think for the price, unless you NEED 16-50mm @ 2.8
If that was the case I would say to go with the TAMRON 17-50 F2.8, no chance of SDM failure I would lend it to you but just sold it recently.
By your choices, I would say the 21mm, the smaller the form factor, the easier it will be to carry and the more pictures you will take.
I had the 35LTD, sorry to say I was not impressed, I tested it side by side with the DA(L) 35mm 2.4 and ended up trading the 35LTD away.
For the night shots, bring a small tripod, it doesn't need to be big or too sturdy with the K-X and a pancake lens.
Make sure to bring back some nice shots for us. Best of luck!

[MSM]

FWIW cameralensrental forbids taking lenses out of the country. I have rented many times from them. They are nice. My choice would be the 18-135 as an all in one. It is a step up from the kit with wr which may come in handy. Otherwise I would choose the 21 mm nice and small. The fov may be better then the 35 mm for vacation shots. Jmo

[jatrax]

16-50 is definitely worth the rental money over the kit lens, much better IQ. But it is very heavy I would not want to lug it around on vacation unless you are planning on selling the photos.

21 limited is well, limited, weighs nothing, great IQ, good focal length for a lot of things, from in city shots to landscapes. But for vacation it is a very specialized lens.

18-250 is the ideal travel lens, good IQ (but not great) and the full breadth of focal lengths.

If it were me, and assuming you just want great photos not stuff you are sending to Nat Geo then get the 18-250 and find a 50mm f/1.4 or 1.7 for night, low light shots. Your 2.8 would work but I would look for the 1.4 if you can get one cheap.

I have been to Caribbean several times, you have a combination of long vistas, beach scenes and in the towns everything is very close together, very hard to get enough distance to take the shot lots of times. So you might also think about one of the UWA like Sigma 10-20 or Tamron 10-24.

And remember this is your honeymoon, if you spend the whole time changing lenses and fussing with the camera it might not be a pleasant one. Keep it simple, you do not want to be changing lenses all the time. And do be cautious with your gear, many areas are staffed by professional camera snatchers. Keep the camera strap around your neck and one hand on the camera.

[Colbyt]

I went to the British Isles last month and toted along the kit 55-200, an A 50mm 1.4, DA 40mm and the DA21mm. Never made it to a museum where I needed the 1.4.

Out of 858 pictures the the 21mm was used far more. The 55-200 saw limited use, mostly ship to shore shots, as did the 40. If I were going again next week I would take the 40 and the 21. If I only took one it would the 21.


Most of these are reduced size with no PP. http://www.flickr.com/photos/77210973@N07/

[usmcxm35]

Sigh, now I have to go see about a DA21mm to add to my LBA!

[FrancisK7]

I really love my DA12-24 for wide angle shots.





Both were taken with K10D+DA12-24, handheld. Both are at F4.

Otherwise for the other FL coverage the DA*50-135 is also excellent.

Congratulations to you and your spouse

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Last edited by FrancisK7; 06-14-2012 at 09:31 PM.

[cali92rs]

I say anything WR (what camera are you sticking this on? if its not WR, then nevermind) and something with a long focal range...like someone above said, you don't want to piss off your new spouse by changing lenses all the time.
The 18-250 + DxO or 18-135 + DxO and a small fast prime is all you need

[SpecialK]

12-24 is a great wide angle travel lens :-)

All the ones you mention fall in the kit focal-length range, which seems like duplication, though with better IQ. I also would not go on vacation without my 10-17, unless perhaps it was on a honeymoon :-)